Building record 15000 - Carnegie Library, Egerton Street, Runcorn

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1392040 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

II Library, 1906, Eclectic style, red sandstone main elevations, red brick rear elevation, windows incorporating Mackintosh-style stained glass designs, reverse L-shaped plan, 2-storey main front range to S facing Egerton Street, single storey rear range at right angle to road.

EXTERIOR: Main 4-bay front elevation. Bay 1 projects forward and to side in form of a tower. Ground floor contains main entrance with wide recessed doorway (replaced door), multiple arched head, dripmould above. Series of 5 lights incorporating decorative stained glass and the words 'FREE LIBRARY AND READING ROOM' follows line of the arches. Ground floor of bays 2-4 and window to W wall of entrance tower with 4-light mullion and transom windows, replaced plain glazing (originally leaded lights incorporating stained glass in style of first floor windows) to lower lights, angled buttress to far right. Two projecting stringcourses enclose band of decorative carved stonework depicting floral and foliage designs, tudor flower style moulding beneath, decorative band to bay 1 incorporates carved lettering reading 'THE GIFT OF ANDREW CARNEGIE 1906'. First floor of bay 1 with 6-light mullion and transom window with leaded lights and stained glass designs, tri-cusped heads to upper lights. 8-light window in same style sits to right above ground floor bays. Parapet with reverse ogee and carved stonework detailing to roofline. Low 2-storey quarter-hexagonal stair turret projects from left gable end behind main entrance tower, square casement window incorporating stained glass of same design as front elevation, band of decorative carved stonework in same style as front elevation. Lower rear section of E gable end in brick (money saving design - cannot be seen from front because of adjoining house). Sandstone chimney stack to E gable wall, small later brick chimney stack to roof of entrance tower.

INTERIOR: Decorative tiled mosaic floor to entrance lobby depicting stemmed blue flowers. Possibly larger area of mosaic surviving under later carpeting in front range (depicted on 1906 photograph). Original revolving entrance door now lost. Original green and dark brown glazed tiled dados to all original internal walls, deep moulded cornicing. Rear range: Early-mid C20 partition wall dividing room. W wall formerly external wall of Waterloo House, deep recessed doorway with surround incorporating pilasters and decorative head keystone (possibly depicts Carnegie or Charles Hazlehurst, original owner of Waterloo House). Arched 4-light casement windows to each side and square-headed 4-light casement window to far right, all with upper lights incorporating stained glass (in same style as external windows). Two windows to right light S room. Rear (N) room with tiled dados, cornicing, tall windows to N wall with stained glass upper lights, replaced glazing to lower lights, door and window to W wall. S room now only accessed from front (S) range due to partition, truncated S wall, tiled dados, cornicing under late C20 suspended ceiling. Front range: Ornate cast-iron spiral staircase to NW corner stair turret behind main entrance. Left section of rear (N) wall knocked through (early-mid C20) to incorporate rooms in Waterloo House and access into rear annexe. Mid-late C20 dog-leg stair to NE corner, leads to first floor former reference library. 4 decorative stained glass lights separated by pilasters to left of stair (originally lit front and rear ranges). Former reference library room: Tiled dados, original timber board floor underneath later carpeting, windows to rear (N) wall with plain glazing to lower lights (deliberate money saving design). Chimney breast to E gable wall, fireplace lost. Office to SW corner with original half-panelled, half-glazed door and lower walls, walls built up to ceiling mid-late C20. Early C20 door (panels boarded over) to left of rear N wall provides access into first floor of Waterloo House.

HISTORY: The library at Egerton Street was constructed c.1906 with money donated by the Scottish-American businessman and public benefactor, Andrew Carnegie. Runcorn's first free library was opened in 1882. It is believed that it was originally located in Waterloo House (adjoining the present library building), although it is not identified as a library on historic OS maps until 1899. Following the donation from Carnegie in 1906 the present purpose-built library was built on a plot adjacent to Waterloo House. The rear range of the library was built on to Waterloo House and the original E external wall of the house subsequently became an internal wall. At this time Waterloo House was used as a town hall and direct access was provided from the hall into the library via a doorway in this wall. Later in the early-mid C20 some of the ground floor rooms of Waterloo House's rear range were opened up into one large room and subsumed into the library. A single storey building to the rear of the site, which originally formed part of the Technical Institute on Waterloo Road was also incorporated into the library at approximately the same date and is accessed through the Waterloo House room.

The first Carnegie library was established in 1879 when Andrew Carnegie provided funds for a library in his home town of Dunfermline, Scotland. Following this, further libraries were established with his grants (for buildings and equipment, not books) across the English speaking world (particularly the US). Local authorities were required to provide a site for the library and levy a rate of 1d. to cover its maintenance. The first grant for a library in England was at Keighley, West Yorkshire in 1899. By the time of his death in 1919 Carnegie had provided grants to 380 libraries in the UK.

<2> Jardine Consultancy Services Ltd, 2019, Heritage Assessment and Planning Statement: Waterloo House and the Carnegie Library, Egerton Street, Runcorn., R4356 (Client Report). SCH8765.

A heritage assessment was produced in 2019 in support of proposed works to the Grade II Listed Carnegie Library as a result of an application to demolish the neighbouring, and partly adjoining, Waterloo Building. Documentary sources have been investigated, supported by a site inspection.

<3> Runcorn Guardian, 1906, Runcorn Free Library, Runcorn Guardian, 01/12/1906 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH8841.

An article was published in the Runcorn Guardian, on Saturday 1st December 1906, describing the opening of the new premises of the Runcorn Free Library, The Carnegie Library. The architect, James Wilding, describes the building as:-

'...designed in the a late period of Gothic architecture and is quiet but dignified in style and detail. The elevations to Egerton Street and east and west side are built of Runcorn red sandstone. The corner tower has a slight entasis and stands nearly two feet in front of the main wall line, the main line having been kept back that distance to enable light to be thrown into the basement.

The hall is approached through a pair of sliding doors and a vestibule, which is formed by a Van Kannel revolving door. The floor of this portion is paved with ceramic mosaic, which harmonises with the walls. The dados throughout are in green and dark brown enamelled brickwork. On the right is the ladies’ reading room, and a little further on the main reading room is entered through a pair of swing doors on the same side. The hall, which is of good size, is in direct communication with the lending department.

The reading-rooms are divided by screens, with large panes of plate glass below the transom, and leaded lights above. The main room is a very fine one, and is flooded with light from a specially arranged lantern light, and large windows in the north elevation. It is fully under the control of the librarian, large windows opening directly into the book store. The ladies’ room is very pleasant, and is very well lighted. The aim throughout the whole building has been to obtain the largest possible amount of light the site could afford. The book store and lending department has been entirely remodelled, the obstructing old walls removed; and the whole turned into one room by carrying all the rooms overhead on girders.

The reference room is approached by a circular stair from one corner of the hall. The limitations of the site prevented a larger approach, but a secondary and finer stair in the old Town Hall has been brought into the service of this first floor, and can be used when the room is required for any large number of people. The circular stair is quite enough for the use of the room by students. The first floor room is a very fine one, and is arranged for students desiring to do serious work. For a long time the want of this department has been felt, and in laying out the plan due care has been exercised to make the most of every inch of space. A small retiring room and lavatory is provided for the librarian, and is so arranged that all the readers in the reference room can be seen by the occupant. The room communicates with the lead flat over the main reading-room, and at the north end of the flat a room has been provided over the said main reading-room. This room is so arranged as to afford facility for natural history study, and is pleasantly lighted.

Throughout, the privacy of the library has been secured by a judicious use of leaded lights. In the hall a window recording the name of the donor has been placed, a little change from the usual tablet, and noticeable by day or gas-light. The basement, which is of good size, contains the heating furnace, every room being heated by hot water pipes and ventilating radiators, the system being arranged in such a way that any portion may be turned off if not wanted. The fittings have been specially designed to suit the building, and a very neat and useful arrangement has been adopted for the disposition of the papers and magazines. At night the rooms are lighted by special Humphrey lamps and the appearance of the light streaming through the leaded windows brightens up the street.'

<4> Kathryn Sather & Associates, 2020, Carnegie Library, Runcorn: Heritage Statement, R4451 (Client Report). SCH8913.

Heritage Statement produced in 2020 for the Carnegie Library, Runcorn, in support of an application for alterations to the library associated with the development of adjacent land for residential purposes. The proposals include the demolition of Waterloo House which adjoins the Carnegie Library.

<5> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.561 (Book). SCH7059.

<6> Risk, Bruce, 2022, Conservation Management Plan: Carnegie Library, Egerton Street, Runcorn (Unpublished Report). SCH9242.

Management plan, including desk-based research, site visit and photographs, produced as part of studies for MA in Conservation of the Historic Environment.